Hyderabad is one of these cities which produces approximately 4300 Metric Tonnes of waste every day. Hyderabad based startup Waste Ventures India(WVI) is changing the way India recycles and manages waste. Telugu360 is in conversation with Abdul Rahman Janoo who gives us insights about Toter and the impact the startup is creating…
Could you pitch for your startup?
Waste Ventures India (WVI) is Hyderabad’s first digital doorstep recyclable pickup service.
It is a social enterprise looking to transform the waste dumping sector into a waste management sector. We offer professional waste collection and processing services to households, corporate clients and waste pickers. We work with PCB certified recyclers from across India.
What is Toter?
It is Hyderabad’s first-EVER technology platform for recyclable pickup from individual homes. Customers need not struggle to locate a scrap dealer anymore and can trust a professional business in Toter to provide a transparent service in terms of price or weight. We call it as “Uber-for-trash” model, just go to toter.in book your pickup time and slot. Once your slot is confirmed, a Toter agent will come to the designated location at the scheduled time, weigh the recyclables using a digital weigh scale and pay cash/PayTM on the spot.
Can you walk us through your journey?
We started operations in mid 2015 in Hyderabad. WVI recycles more than 140 MT of waste every month and have averted more than 4000 tonnes of waste from the environment with a team of 65 people. We work with network of 1200 waste pickers, around 18000 households and more than 10 corporate campuses such as Flipkart, Infosys, Heritage and others.
How different you are from the existing dealers?
We create a different market each time. We have partnered with a firm to recycle Tetra packs which were not recycled before. Now we have pickers collect Tetra packs and give it to us. Through this they are earning additional income. We partnered with other recyclers for laminated waste which was not recycled before. Every year we want to recycle the nuisance which is not being recycled and is being burnt in dump yard.
Can you brief us about your dealings with Scarp dealers?
You must have seen people who roam on cycle to collect newspapers. Instead of roaming every street and wasting time on negotiations, we give them a list of people who have scrap to be collected. Using Toter we have transparent pricing where the process of negotiation is put to rest. They go on behalf of us, buy the scrap and sell it to us. Our guys generally train them for 2to3days. We are formalizing the informal sector and not replacing but making them professionals.
How do you recruit waste pickers?
We do it in two ways. We have around 45 in-house Waste pickers who are involved in operations and are fulltime employed with us. Other 1200 waste pickers are part of our network. We are making their life better. It is like Uber model for waste pickers. If they work and get the trash (like pickups in Uber) we pay them.
What is your funding pattern?
Funding is a struggle for a social enterprise. We started off as bootstrap but very soon investors who are interested in creating an impact in the society reached out to us. We are operational profitable now. But for us, sustainability is important similar to other start-ups so that we can scale up to next level.
Tell us about your work culture?
Every individual who works here is like the owner of the company. Though they are defined with their responsibilities but they are open to do any kind of work. Moreover, we believe in equal and fair treatment to everyone. Even when we sell, we prefer PCB certified recyclers who are fair.
Could you tell us about the impact your startup is creating?
We are creating two types of impact. One being environmental impact where we saved ~5200 trees in last one year. Secondly, every 4 to 5 tonnes we create one job. So, if you segregate the waste and give it to us somewhere you are giving job. For us it is more of streamlining this sector, where rag pickers and scrap dealers will get an identity.
What took you by surprise?
The response for Toter. We anticipated around 7-8kg waste per household. Surprisingly we are getting better results. Also, we have seen a lot of volunteers coming forward.
What keeps you going?
The impact that we make in the lives of waste pickers motivates us. They come and see that we are trying to make difference in their lives. A waste picker Venkatlakshmi wants to spend the extra revenue to feeding her two young children nutritious food. Sumitra who is another waste picker spends the additional revenue on educating her children.
What is your advice to someone who wants to venture into Solid waste management?
Go by a lean approach and make your business model sustainable and then think about scaling up. Not everything will be successful and failures are bound to happen. Try to hit back harder the next time. When it comes to waste management people think government, assistance is needed. But the ground reality is we need to focus on niche market and make things sustainable and then focus on large market. It is all about pivoting the right way.
Hey Hyderabad what’re you waiting for? Schedule your recyclable pickup today at www.toter.in
